Shirt construction



Filed Sept. 18, 1950. 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG-- IN VENTOR Mwris L. KaplanATTORNEY Dec. 28, 41954 M. L. KAPLAN 2,697,833

SHIRT CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 18, .1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 is@A iNVENTORMarr@ Kaplan BY 556mg; F

ATTORNEY De. 28, 1954 M. L. KAPLAN 2,697,833

SHIRT CONSTRUCTION y Filed Sept. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NV E NTORMo ris l.. Kaplan `10a and 11,

United States Patent 'O SHIRT CONSTRUCTION Morris L. Kaplan, Hazleton,Pa. Application September 18, 1950, Serial No. 185,352 Claims. (Cl.2-128) This invention relates to shirts, and, particularly, to shirts inwhich the usual buttons employed for closing the shirt front opening areeliminated in favor of a zipper fastener which is neatly concealedbeneath the front facing.

The` primary object of the invention is to provide a shirt front facingconstruction utilizing a zipper fastener, and wherein the front facing,upon being ironed or pressed, will present a neat, piane appearance andnot be marred by embossment of the zipper elements through the facingstructure to appear upon the exposed area thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view showing one step in making up the shirtfront facing;

Figure 2 is a sectional View showing a subsequent step;

Figure 3 is a sectional View showing the final step of making the shirtfront facing;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure l but illustrating amodication wherein a relatively thin cord is employed;

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing a subsequentstep in connection with the structure shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing the final step in connection withproducing the shirt front facing with the structure shown in Figures 4and 5 g Figure 7 is a perspective View partly in section showing theconstruction shown in Figure 1 in use upon a shirt utilizing a zipperfacstener for the front opening; i

Figure 8 is a perspectlve view partly in section in which themodification shown in Figure 4 is utilized;

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 but in which thethermoplastic layer associated with the front facing is omitted in favorof a layer of cloth; and

Figure 10 is a sectional View similar to Figure 8 utilizing theconstruction of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, the cloth of the front shirt section isindicated at 11 and upon the outer surface of the area thereof adjacentthe edge of the front opening of the cloth layer 11 is laid two plies ofcloth such as Oxford Weave indicated respectively at 10 and 10a. Thelayers 10 and 10a may be separate or be provided by a single piece ofcloth folded over to form the layers lil-10a. The layers 11, 10a and 10are stitched together, as shown at 12, and it will be noted that theintermediate layer 10a which is adjacent the cloth layer 11 of the shirtextends beyond the layer 10, i. e., to the edge of the shirt layer 11,as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A zipper Stringer 13 is stitched at 14 to the layers 10a and 11, eitherbefore or after the stitching 12. The Stringer of the zipper beforebeing stitched at 14 is folded upon itself, as shown, and thefolded-over portions are stitched together, as shown at 13.

Thereafter, the layer of cloth 10 is folded upon itself, as shown at 15in Figure 2, to provide a multi-ply structure, and a shirt front facingl16 having a cloth layer enclosing a thermoplastic layer T is stitchedto the layers as shown at 17, either before or after said layer 10 isfolded.

Referring to Figure 3, the shirt front facing 16 is then folded over andits free edge is stitched to the shirt layer 11, as shown at 1S. By thisconstruction it will be observed that the zipper element on the Stringer13 is nested in a recess R where it rests upon the plies 10a and 11beneath the facing 16 while, to the right of the zipper element, athickness is developed by reason of the ply 11, the ply 10a, themultiple plies 10, and the folded-in ex- 2,697,833 Patented Dec. 28,1954 tended portions of the plies 10a and 11 disposed between themulti-plies 10 and the under surface of the shirt front facing 16.

l'ererring to Figures 4, 5 and 6, the steps of making the shirt and thestructure utilized are identical with that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,except that a thin cord 19 is positioned on the upper face of the fabriclayer 10 and stitched to the layers 11, 10a and 10, as shown by thestitching 12. The presence of the cord 19, as shown in Figure 6,increases the thickness of the front facing to the right of the zipperelement.

Referring to Figure 9, instead of using a thermoplastic layer T, thismay be omitted in favor of alayer of suitable cloth, indicated as awhole at 20.

Referring to Figure 7, it will be observed that the mating zipperelements will be so disposed that when the garment is pressed or ironed,there will be complete avoidance of embossrnent of the zipper elementsupon the front of the shirt facing 16. In Figure 7 I have shown theopposite and underlying edge or facing of the shirt opening at Z2 ytowhich is stitched at 23 the mating zipper element 25 and with the zipperelements engaged in the usual manner, as shown at 26.

The recess R which is illustrated in Figures 3, 6 and 7 to 10, wherebythe zipper element on the overlying facing layer 16 is nested adjacent arelatively mick layer of cloth plies, assures that whether the shirtfront facing 16 employing a thermoplastic layer T or simply a clothlayer 20 be employed, there will be a sufficient protective thickness toprevent the zipper elements embossing through to the exposed surface ofthe shirt front facing 16. Hence, the front facing has its exposedsurface plane and neat appearing at all times and effectively concealsthe presence of the zipper elements.

lt will be observed from the foregoing that I have provided a method ofmaking a shirt comprising attaching to a layer of cloth 11, forming thefront section of the shirt, adjacent the front edge opening thereof asshown in Figure 1, a plurality of superposed fabric plies 10 and 10a inoverlying relation to the shirt layer. One of said fabric plies 10a,adjacent the shirt layer 11, is of greater area, and another remote orexposed fabric ply 10 superposed thereon is of lesser area. The Stringer13 carrying the zipper element is attached to the shirt layer 11 and theadjacent fabric ply 10a of greater area at one side of the fabric ply 10of lesser area as shown in Figure 2. At the other or opposite side ofthe fabric yply 10, the shirt front facing 16 is attached at one of itsedges t0 the shirt section and to the fabric ply 10a of larger area at apoint remote from the zipper element as shown at 17 in Figure 2 and isthen folded over so that its other edge is disposed over the shirtsection 11 and stitched thereto at 18 to thus conceal and enclose thefabric plies 10-10a between the shirt layer 11 and the facing 16. Themethod further involves forming the recess R by providing an increasedthickness ot' material to one side of the zipper element as shown andextending toward the front opening edge of the shirt which edge may besaid to consist of either the free outwardly extending edge of thefacing 16 as shown in Figure 3 or the folded-over and turned-in adjacentportions of the ply 10a and shirt layer 11 which are stitched to thefacing at 17 or both, also as shown in Figure 3. Instead of folding overthe fabric ply 10, or folding it to provide a double thickness, two ormore separate plies may be employed, there being at least three of thefabric plies 10-10u between the shirt layer 11 and the facing 16.

The important feature is the provision of the recess R due to theincreased thickness created at one side of the Zipper element extendingtoward the front opening edge of the shirt. rl`his increased thicknessis provided by the superposed fabric layers 10 and 10a and thefolded-over and in-turned edge portions of the shirt layer 11 and fabricply 10a as shown in Figure 3 remote from the zipper element, i. e., atthe front opening edge of the shirt. Where a cord is employed toincrease the thickness, it is enclosed in the folded edge portion offabric ply 10 as shown in Figure 4.

I claim:

1. A shirt front formed of a layer of fabric, plies of fabric attachedto the shirt layer in superposed relation adjacent the front openingedge of the shirt front, a front facing attached to the shirt layer andconcealing the same and said fabric plies at the front opening edge ofthe shirt front, a stringer carrying a zipper element attached to theunder side of the shirt layer and one of said fabric plies remote fromthe front opening edge of the shirt front, said shirt layer andsuperposed fabric plies adjacent one side of the element providing anincreased thickness of material extending toward the front opening edgeof the shirt front and dening a recess in which said element is nested.

2. A shirt front according to claim 1 in which said increased thicknesshas at least three of said fabric plies ifn superposed relation betweenthe shirt layer and said acing.

3. A shirt front formed of a layer of fabric, plies of fabric attachedto the shirt layer in superposed relation adjacent the front edgeopening of the shirt front, a front facing attached to the shirt layerand concealing the same and said fabric plies at the front opening edgeof the shirt front, a Stringer carrying a zipper element attached to theunder side of the shirt layer and one of said fabric plies remote fromthe front opening edge of the shirt front, another of said fabric pliesbeing folded upon itself to extend from adjacent one side of the elementtoward the front opening edge of the shirt front, said shirt layer andsuperposed fabric plies adjacent one side of the element providing anincreased thickness of material extending toward the front edge openingof the shirt front and defining a recess in which said element isnested.

4. A shirt front according to claim 3 in which a cord is enclosed in thefolded edge portion of said other folded fabric ply.

5. A shirt front according to claim 1 in which edge portions of theshirt layer and a fabric ply adjacent the front opening edge, are foldedinwardly in superposed relation to said shirt layer and superposedfabric plies at the said one side of the element and in concealedrelation to said facing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

